Seed planters are adapted to be drawn behind tractors or the like and are available in various sizes. Some planters have six, eight, or more planter units which are fixed in laterally spaced relation to each other and which are drawn over and across a predetermined swath of a field to plant several rows of plants. The planter is then turned to move over and across an adjacent swath of the field to plant several more rows of plants.
Seed planters typically include a marker which provides a track which is laterally spaced from the outer plant row of the swath over which the planter is presently drawn. When the tractor is turned, the operator attempts to follow the track left by the marker such that the lateral spacing between plant rows of adjacent swathes corresponds to the lateral spacing between adjacent plant rows of a particular swath.
Depending upon the size of the field, a planting operation can span several hours and becomes extremely monotonous for the operator. Requiring a tractor operator to intensely focus and continually follow a dirt track in a vast planting field over a period of several hours is a tenuous task for any person to successfully perform. Accordingly, the tractor operator has been known to vary from the dirt track for relatively short periods of time and then correct the error to continue following the track. When the dirt track is not followed, however, the lateral spacing between plant rows of adjacent swathes vary relative to the fixed lateral spacing between plant rows of a given swath. That plant row which varies in lateral spacing from a plant row of an adjacent planting swath is commonly referred to as a "guess row."
Agricultural harvesters typically include a series of row units mounted to the harvester. An agricultural harvester such as a cotton harvester, for example, includes a plurality of harvesting units arranged at a forward end of the harvester. A row or harvesting unit of a cotton harvester typically includes a housing structure defining a plant passage extending in a fore-and-aft direction and with a harvesting mechanism being housed within the housing structure for harvesting cotton from a row of cotton plants passing through the plant passage.
The harvesting mechanism of a typical cotton picker includes a pair of picker rotors or drums. Each picker rotor or drum is configured to remove cotton from the plants passing through the plant passage. Some manufacturers arrange both of the picker rotors or drums to one side of the plant passage. Other manufacturers arrange the picker drums or rotors on opposite sides of the plant passage of each harvesting unit.
Recent cotton harvesters have been designed with up to five harvesting units supported in side-by-side relation relative to each other across a forward end of the harvester. As the cotton harvester is operated, the operator needs to direct constant and careful attention to see that the harvester is properly steered such that the harvesting or row units are aligned with and the plant rows are directed centrally through the plant passage. Not unlike the human error problems normally encountered during the planting operation, fatigue, boredom, general inattentiveness, and the like often causes the operator to inadvertently direct or steer the harvester such that the plant passage of the harvesting unit is not centered on the plant rows.
In addition to inadvertent operator errors causing the harvester to be directed such that the harvesting units are not positioned in alignment with the plant rows, because the number of harvesting or row units on the harvester does not necessarily equal the number of planter units affixed to the seed planter, the "guess rows" which exist from inadvertent errors in the planting operation cause further problems in the harvesting operation. The operator's inattentiveness to guide the harvester such that the harvesting or row units are centered on the plant rows and the problems associated with "guess row" harvesting adversely affect the ability of the row units to remove cotton from the plants and thereby adversely affect cotton harvester performance.
As will be appreciated, operators' inattention in directing the harvester across the field such that the plant rows move centrally through the plant passage and the problem of effectively removing cotton from the "guess rows" is exacerbated in those cotton harvesters having the picker rotors or drums arranged commonly to one side of the plant passage. A harvester guidance system has been proposed by Ortham Manufacturing, Inc. for aligning the harvester with the plant rows. Primarily because of the size of the harvester, automatic guidance thereof does not readily lend itself to quick and easy steering changes during the harvesting procedure.
Still another problem with harvesters relates to inspection and servicing of the harvesting or row units. The problem results from the close proximity of the units relative to each other when they are arranged in a harvesting or operational position. That is, arranging the harvesting units in adjacent order inhibits access between the units for inspection and servicing which is required as a daily procedure.
Thus, there is a need and a desire for a responsive system which decreases operator fatigue by alleviating the operator of the intense task of constantly maintaining the harvester in alignment with the plant rows while maximizing field efficiency.